Children, Politics Pub. Pol

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

Child poverty is worse in the U.S. than in other industrialized countries in western Europe and Scandinavia. Paid parental leave remains rare in the U.S., though not elsewhere. Enormous amounts of money are spent on K-12 education, yet U.S. test score results are disappointing and characterized by substantial gaps between white students and students of color. How did we reach this point? How bad is it? What do we do about it?The purpose of this course is to understand the politics of children’s policy and the difficult policy choices that we confront in such areas as child health, early childhood education, child welfare, education, and juvenile justice policy. Why do children face an uphill battle in public policy debates and what strategies and arguments enable children’s advocates to overcome these obstacles from time to time? In this course, we examine the politics of child policymaking, including the roles of politicians, interest groups, and political parties in shaping public policies at both the state and federal levels. We scrutinize the best available evidence on which health, education, and welfare programs work and which ones do not. Finally, we identify pithy arguments and issue frames that might reshape the world in which U.S. children grow up, improve their experiences, and produce better outcomes for all.The course is divided into three relatively equal parts. First, we focus on the politics of children’s issues. We will explore some analytical frameworks that seek to explain the policymaking process and apply them to selected children’s issues. Second, we examine evidence on the many problems that confront children and on the efficacy of proposed solutions. We will study empirical research on the causes of child poverty, child neglect, infant mortality, and other problems and on the consequences of efforts to alleviate these problems. Third, we formulate arguments in favor of particular strategies for improving children’s conditions. We will construct and evaluate normative propositions on what constitutes good public policy in this area.Course requirements include readings (books and reserve readings), plus three take-home essays. The three essays and your classroom participation will determine your final grade.